MacJams.com - Song: Secret of Life (w/ bbarner) by TobinMueller

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Secret of Life (w/ bbarner)
by TobinMueller

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Attribution-NoDerivs-NonCommercial

Guest profile visits: 5822
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Song comments: 62
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Downloads: 355
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Submitted on: Oct 07, 2004 - 10:57:49 AM
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Keywords jazz (408), soft jazz (2), new age (98), acoustic (491), piano (622), clarinet (31), collaboration (106), quartet (10), instrumental (442), bbarner (5), tobin (68), ensemble (8), live (95), nightclub (7)

Description This virtual-live hybrid version of my tune, Secret of Life, marks my first collaboration with Bill Barner - a barn burner of a clarinetist and sax player. A study in key changes, this version of Secret of Life was originally recorded as a trio (piano, bass, drums) in a University music room using a portable digital recorder. I then edited a third of the piece out and FTP'd the result to Bill who added his clarinet and tenor saxes. I put in a virtual audience and canned cabaret ambience sounds in an effort to try and make the track seem live, like a real gig. Altho Bill has never met the acoustic bassist (Jeff Cox) or the pianist (Chris Mueller), he did know the drummer (Dane Richeson) from previous gigs. Small world. Thanks to Bill for some great playing. And Chris for a great arrangement.

Lyrics Instrumental. You may need to turn volume up (I didn't want to over-compress the file). Also, when played inside iTunes on my system, the song is too bassy and looses some of the solo edge, even tho it sounds just right on when played in other apps. Go figure.

Hardware Mackie board; Tascam DA-P1; Mac G4; Steinway grand piano; Bill's reeds.

Software: GB 1.1; Performer 4.1

Fan List

Del

Pie

brb

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	said 1517 days ago
	Virtually flawless Oh yeah. All 10s and high 5s.

	Idébu said 1517 days ago
	Really Nice It put me in the mind of some old Miles Davis. (Birth of the Cool) This is very good stuff. I did not believe the crowd was real though. I enjoyed the middle break - can't say why though. On the second listen it just seemed to add something to the experience that I can't articulate. Congratulations on a fine piece.

TobinMueller said 1517 days ago

Really Nice
One of the reasons I like the break is that the bass gets to play and be heard,
instead of doubling the melody under the first half of each phrase like he
does in the verse. And the openness of the sound at that point, along with
the ambient audience feel. I think the audience sounds gives the piece a live
recording feel, like recordings from the late 50s... until the final applause
which just didn't get picked up from those stage mics well enough - and then
the technician faded them too soon...

chikoppi said 1517 days ago

Classic Song
First, I love the songwriting here! This a very reminiscent of (what is in my head at least) jazz classics. Top notch performances! The recording and mixing are excellent...yeah, fantastic!

Ah! Great chaotic flourish section near the end! This is another high water mark on MJ for me to aspire to!

Excellent track! It will be one of the relatively few jazz songs in my iTunes playlist.

Regarding the faux audience...to my ears the background chatter sounds like a restaurant, while the applause sounds like a small concert hall. Changing one or the other might improve the effect. Also, given the "conversational" background volume it seems as though the applause should be louder. (10-8-9-9) (I think this is only the second "10" I've registered on MJ votes.)

TobinMueller said 1517 days ago

Classic Song
Thanks. Very appreciated. Regarding the crowd, you are right. The ambient
clips are from a restaurant; the applause from an ancient mono sound CD I
found in the closet (I layered 4 different applause tracks to try and fix them).
Most jazz gigs are in restaurants with a dark stage where they pack people in
knee to knee and no one ever shuts up, except in the Blue Note where they
throw you out if you make noise. Inappropriate laughing during lulls is
common, I just had to edit some in. Sort of cathertic. (I hate dropping the
crowd cuz I worked on them so long... and can you ever have enough
applause?)

Also, you should know that Bill actually played clarinet and sax, in 4 different
takes, to the first verse only. He sent me the CD with the separate tracks by
mail. I had to cut and paste his performances into verse 2 and the ending,
allotting for a tempo increase (due to getting more excited as the end
approached). So the sense of a live ensemble required lots of CPU, edits,
snips, clips...

	said 1517 days ago
	Good Gobs of Gravy... this is a wonderful collaboration. Talent smothered like gravy on grandma's biscuits. My only critique...lose the crowd. Let me take this journey alone. Way to go Tobin. Show us the way...

	bloosman1 said 1517 days ago
	Yup! That's good jazz! pack o' 10's for ya!

	orangeproject said 1517 days ago
	Amazing sound. You did a great job of making it sound live... but I agree, lose it and let the listener make this trip solo. Great work! All 10's from me.

	TalktoWind said 1517 days ago
	Wow A "professional" song, no doubt. 9-9-9-9 I like a lot the "live" performance. Rob

	macapa said 1517 days ago
	You know It's really impossible for me not to love this song. It's downloaded and, if it's like any of your others I have in iTunes, I won't be able to get it out of my head. Like others, I'm not thrilled by the crowd in general. I can't say it hurts the song, but it doesn't really bring much to it either, sorry...

	oldlibmike said 1517 days ago
	More interesting than MLB :) Entirely took my mind off baseball game - on as I type. Wow. I should never listen to your stuff before working on my own. Definately sets the bar very high. There's something to be said for the blending of great live performance with background sound.

	Mr. EI Oval said 1517 days ago
	Sitting here in Awe and admiration of the fine playing and superb mixing skills that you have employed on this.

	Joanna said 1517 days ago
	Fantastic Absoluely wonderful. I love the crowd sounds, and thought the entire production was fresh and original. -- Joanna

	_nderscore said 1517 days ago
	such warm, full sound really incredible work tobin. kudos to all involved. i really enjoyed bill's lively additions

	Mcboy said 1517 days ago
	real classic jazz.... classic jazz....i hear some mcoy tyner and some excursions into trane land...hmmmm just tasty......great work gentlemen.........

	Heidi_E said 1517 days ago
	Great live show I don't know about the picture,but I like the fact you made it like a live gig with background noise. It makes it quiet effective. Great Jazz!

	iG.STUDiO said 1517 days ago
	Classy So nice. I agree, though - the applause sounds a bit foreign, given the initial ambience settings (bye-bye, my plans for the final mix of my bossa, darn it - this is exactly what I had in mind...) Great job on all other accouns.

Del said 1515 days ago

All the keys of life
Yes, like Miles. Altho I wanted the reeed player to play the melody more, this is a great trio between piano, reeds and bass. I like how each gets his moment, how the pinao never becomes just an acompanying instrument but stays in the lead, and how the reeds are mixed just right. I liked the restaurant sound. Made me want to order ravioli and a vodka with lime. (How come you didn't put any food into the song art collage? Ain't that a secret of life?) Could have been at the Blue Note, guys. Better than great.

	Cameron said 1515 days ago
	Excellent Wonderful tune, great playing! I agree that the crowd noises were a bit intrusive and didn't really fit; I would have liked to have heard this piece "clean". This excellent composition was executed masterfully. The mix was very good although I found the timbre of the piano to be a bit "dead". I personally like a bit more "highs" in the sound. Great jazz tune overall!

	said 1515 days ago
	Peak performances For what its worth, I like the ambient sounds. This is a wonderful composition, with a flow of energy that is only reenforced by the "crowd". Very well written and played. My only concern was (through my headphones) things got a little overpowering toward the end, almost losing some of the reeds at times. 9 10 9 10

TobinMueller said 1514 days ago

Peak performances
Thanks for the agreement on the potential energy the crowd adds to the feel.
And good ears on the saturation of the frequencies during the big finish.
This is why I couldn't compress the song any further, since compression
made this even worse. The original trio was mixed down to a 2 track and the
master was saturated when the piano started playing its huge block chords at
the end. Actually, in the multi-track unmixed version (prior to bouncing to
disk, when I was adding in Bill's 4 reed tracks), the separation of instruments
is perfect, even tho the piano still saturates the frequencies. But becuz the
piano is playing the melody at the end of the forte section, I wanted it to be
dominant, and to have the neat chordal hits of the tenor saxes not get lost.
Thus, the liveliness of the solo reads wild improvs become almost subliminal
(but I hope their energy is not lost). But that was a mixing choice I made to
save the tenor chords from getting buried, as well as having the listener
wrongly conclude that the wild solo reeds were playing the melody at that
point (as opposed to the piano right hand, where the melody actually is
played.) My thought was that this set up the coda section better, when
everyone is in unison.

	Momotamus said 1515 days ago
	Fantastic! Ahhh, I'm a jazz fan and this is music to my MJ ears. So well crafted. So far beyond my skill level. So beautifully put together. Such great chord changes. So complex and gently and truthfully played. Awesome, really. I love it.

ivanjs said 1514 days ago

Very cool
Can't understand why it sounds too bassy on your
system. The bass is just coming through on the 2
systems I played it on at home.

Did you turn on the EQ in itunes and bring
down the bass a bit? Might also explain the few
comments you got on the song I collaborated with
you on where folks thought the bass wasn't loud
enough. You probably compensated for it being too
bassy on your end, but elsewhere it's not.

Nice job.
John

	SlimGirlFat said 1512 days ago
	Amazing, I am as always, in awe of your talents Tobin, there is some great piano playing in here,. I agree sadly with others about the crowd sounds, (although applause it what we are all striving for LOL!) Bill, Outstanding, really outstanding. You have a wonderful relaxed confidence in your playing that just oozes out in this track.... Sublime! SlimGirlFat

	StevoMac said 1512 days ago
	Lovely! Where I get by with brute force, you get by on grace and elegance. Beautiful tune, expertly recorded. Bravo!

	mujigo said 1511 days ago
	Very nice Really nice, good feel, great drummer.

Ringo said 1511 days ago

yep
I actually think it gets a bit Weather Report-y when you all
go for it at the end. (To me that's a good thing..) Just
soooooo smooth other wise. Swings just right. Really like
the drumming. Tried to do a lot of similar stuff in music
rooms when I was at college years ago and got nowhere
near this. I'm voting for the crowd noise, it's what music is
all about, playing to people. Reminded me of all sorts of
jazz gigs I had been to/played in.

Excellent playing and composition. The meister returns..

eleveneyes said 1510 days ago

wholistic medicine
just as every piece of a hologram contains the whole
hologram, this secret of life contains an entire beautiful
rich life within. I love motivic pieces and this one is crafted
wonderfully and performed exceptionally well.
TobinMueller reigns and knows all! (except when not to
use faux applause. liked it at first. not so much now.
however i didn't mind the glasses clinking/crowd chatter -
guess that sounded realistic. the canned applause
sounded like it was still in the can.) but the song is
supreme!
keep making beutiful sounds!

	gudkarma said 1504 days ago
	%uBAA8 that opening piano is awesome..... this is a good piece. i'd say its a PIECE OF jAZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. : ) HEH. picture that with my jersey accent.

	mulletsrock said 1499 days ago
	virtually live There is something very live about this, I am amazed you all weren't in the same club. The applause reminds me of the way applause sounds in old recordings, and the sound has a certain flatness of those first sterephonic discs. Authentic and hip. Wish I could have been there to appplaud with your virtual crowd. So I applaud now...

	cataloger1 said 1495 days ago
	beautiful! Bill is a work colleague and friend and he told me about this site...beautiful work, guys! Henry

	qthrul said 1495 days ago
	smooth and slick... I'm going through all your other songs now. This one is getting bookmarked for sure.

	eDrew said 1474 days ago
	Great Job! Very nice indeed. Greet work on making the drums sound so live.

g4macuser said 1474 days ago

a future jazz classic
This is really good stuff. I enjoyed it very much, indeed.
Only the sound of the crowd's clapping hands doesn't fit
into the club-atmosphere sound of the song itself. The
crowd sounds a bit as if they were on an open air festival.
Artificial somehow.
But that's the only thing for me to criticize.
The background-atmosphere bar-like "noise" fits very
well.
The sound is fantastic, just like Jazz should sound.

Good work!!!

Michael :-)

	thetiler said 1435 days ago
	What pro musicianship! First I am thrilled that you stopped by my site and posted. It means a lot to me that a person of your high caliber of musical abilities would post. I need to be humbled sometimes to get me back into reality. After hearing great things on this piece maybe I can be a little more daring in my compositions. Thanks for helping me break out of my box. Bill thetiler

	thetiler said 1435 days ago
	Forgot one thing: picture I forgot to post in my previous one that I really loved the great artwork. Wow! Thanks for sharing Bill thetiler

	mars said 1433 days ago
	Cool I feel like I'm in a jazz club somewhere in NY. : D I love your jazz stuffs. Thanx for sharing. Rina (mars)

	jimid said 1401 days ago
	I Bow I am but a pretender. This is the real thing. Fantastic!!

	Stun Nutz said 1376 days ago
	how did I miss this one? I used to play the clarinet, but nothing like this! This totally felt live and the song sounded classic... simply great jazz. Moody, dramatic... awe inspiring stuff.

	EdensEve said 1321 days ago
	Dynamic duo I listened to this following the link to it from your other collaboration, Let Me Play. I think clarinet has become my new favorite soloing instrument. Why isn't it more popular? Maybe more people need to play it like you! So nice, such a sweet feeling from hearing you play. A great duo, you.

	John Stebbe said 1321 days ago
	great feel I like the piano/bass tracking on the repeated theme. Clarinet sounds great. This is definitely a CD-worthy track. Applause in the middle sounds a little "not in the same space." Small quibble. When the sax comes in, the track really cooks. A wonderful sound overall.

	said 1298 days ago
	Absolutely fabulous Between this music and my beyerdynamics you have converted my office into a smokey lounge. I can't stand the smoke but I'm staying for the music. Critical feedback...could have used a few more clanking beer glasses in the back ground.

kclements said 1083 days ago

great feel
I really like the feel of this piece. nice support for the clarinet, and the
piano takes its turn to shine, without dominating the other
instruments. Ncie voicings on the chords. I like the inter play between
the piano and the clarinet.

Drums and bass provide a very firm foundation and sounds like the trio
really comes together. I really like the live feel - takes me back to the
jazz clubs. Very nice piano solo, again understate, but appropriately
tasty.

Nice switch to the sax after the piano solo.

I have to say I really enjoy the cross-talk between the two instruments.
Very nice -

	composerclark said 1071 days ago
	Great Job! Very nicely done. Am I correct in gathering from your description that the music was all played by real musicians (albeit in different places), and the "virtual" part was the audience sounds? Beautiful playing, and great sound. Thanks.

	nuke said 1050 days ago
	Really nice That's wonderful. And most of all the clarinet and sax really fit in. From the description you wrote I understand that the clarinet and saxes are added after you have recorded it as a trio. Is that so? The added atmosphere sounds quite natural and at first it made think i'm in a 60' jazz club. Really nice

	BassMule said 965 days ago
	Where'd that horn section come from? :-) Seriously, this is quite nice. The modal unison lines remind me of Mulgrew Miller. Except for the sudden appearance of the horn section at the end, I would not have guessed that Barner's work was added later. Bravo!

mbehar said 687 days ago

found this
well I guess I'm kinda late for this party. Just recently got into computers and then home recording and now I'm searching around to hear what's out there and I find this. Very nice work here mister!
Alot has already been said but here's an amusing story.

Back in the late 70's went to hear Bill Evans in the village NYC and I couldn't get a seat up close because all these business men types were crowded around the piano. Not listening mind you just talking and laughing real loud and Bill looking very frustrated. Despite that I still pursued a music career! Anyhow your audience sound brought this memory back to me.
Cheers and regards
mbehar

	Norman Goodman said 620 days ago
	. Piano, bass and drums are excellentl. Bill Barner is tremendous. Beautifully phrased and articulate piano lines, displays an excellent example of polished musicianship. Again Bill Barner IS THE MAN!!!!!

	michael2 said 581 days ago
	really nice this is a great "classic" jazz song.it sounds like the old-skool until you go with the big freak out at the end (which is nicely resolved with the little melody). You are such a great piano player, and everyone else on the track really does an amazing job. Such vibe (with or without the crowd sounds).

	Ibstrat said 522 days ago
	Wonderful I continue to be impressed by your versatility and originality.Some parts remind me of Bill Evans.

	said 240 days ago
	Beautiful Composition Lovely mellow chilled out kind a feeling relaxing. Thanks for the listen and well done. Peace Dee.

	Nick_Flash said 153 days ago
	Wow Thanks for pointing this one out Tobin. This really reminds me of when I used to go see Jazz bands play at the Borders Cafe in Omaha. Everything sounds great. Thanks Nick

Artist Profile

TobinMueller

Artist Bio I am a professional musician, composer, playwright and director. I lead a charmed life. I'm married to fellow MJer Suzanne and MJer Twonicus is my son. See my Spotlight Interview - Tobin Mueller: Talking With Myself in the Macjams Music Blog. You can ...[more]

Artist Music

Finding No Path

Last Song On Vaudeville (early mix) w/ bbarner

Vortigern's Fortress (EKNM)

Dare To Sing (AUDIOCRACY w/ Tadashi Togawa)

In The Great Dream (Robin Hood)

One Less Child (Robin Hood)

Lay Your Burdens Down (Robin Hood)

Hail To The Sheriff (Robin Hood)

Out Of The Forest (Robin Hood)

Too Many Years (Robin Hood)

Happy Birthday World

Seven Buttons On A Nehru Jacket (w/ Mcboy)

Sitcom Psychedelica (Woodstock after-party)

Puzzle City (AUDIOCRACY)

Emerald Path

Chromatisome Swing (tribute to Oscar Peterson)

Eruption of Previous Life

Caught In The Current (v2) - feat. BBarner & Komrade K

You Can't Touch Me (LSP)

I Wanna Fly (v2)

Lightning Strikes (v2 w/ more organ)

Lightning Strikes (v1)

Bring On The Storm

Hold On (w/ Komrade K)

Door In My Heart (v2)

Be My Love

Walls (Analogapalooza - from Robin Hood)

Sweet Liberty (Analogapalooza - Statue of Liberty dedication)

Pose For You (Analogapalooza - w/ Jessica Flood)

You Make My Heart Skip A Beat

We Are The Ones

Can't Complain (w/ Komrade K)

Speak Truth To Power (w/ twon, Darren Chapmen, Audiocracy)

When The Future Comes (w/ Twon, Alimar, Audiocracy)

To McBoy: 2 Peas in a Chili Pod

A Monk Caught in the Thelonious Sphere

Before There Were Gods

Chaos of the Subconscious

The Gumshoe Wears A Rag

Crazy Story (vers. 2 w/ Thoddi)

What I Was Thinking While You Were Talking (w/ Ziti, Mungo)

I Have Dreamed In Another

I Am Yours (Last Embrace Behind The Wall) w/ Mystified

Caught In The Current (w/ BBarner and Komrade K)

My Heart Still Beats (w/ Thoddi, etc.)

Icarus II (w/ Texasfeel)

House of Cards (...When I Sing)

Dreams III (featuring Woody Mankowski)

Lady of the Lake (w/ Mystified)

Tobin's Sampler

Revolution's Son (v2, w/ dchapman, twon, Alimar, Audiocracy)

When You Left

Revolution's Son (w/ twonicus)

Under A Western Sky

I Sail On (arr: Troy)

A Promise (w/ Woody Mankowski)

Let Me Play (w/ McBoy and BBarner)

I Sail On

Turn The Key

The Waitress (version 2)

What Thou Lovest Well (w/ Packo)

The Waitress

Morning Whispers

River Runs Through Me

Escaping The Fray Zone

Just Above The Ground

Final Words

Pilgrim of the Return

Secret of Life (w/ bbarner)

At Her Window

If I Could Live Long Enough (w/ IVANJS)

Windowshade

Save the Planet

Can't Complain

Dreams II (w/ Emily Rohm)

Borate Zone: Please Eat

Was There Once A Time

Forge A New Life - Part 2

Forge A New Life - Part I

	TobinMueller said 1435 days ago
	Good Gobs of Gravy... ...but I worked so hard on those crowd sounds... and in all honesty, they cover a few moments of slight saturation in the piano part. Plus, it makes more fun, for me anyway. Thanks for the liking of the music!

	TobinMueller said 1435 days ago
	You know You can tell this wasn't recorded at the Blue Note... they throw out people who make so much noise during the show! But I wanted to add that noise competition-and-synergy that a crowd lends.

	TobinMueller said 1516 days ago
	Great live show I tweaked the song art a bit, adding other items that conjure a Secret of Life search... including clarinet, sax and piano... Do you like this better? It is a collage that is supposed to evoke musings on questions, answers, locks, keys, passions, distraction...

	TobinMueller said 1435 days ago
	Fantastic! Thanks. This song is totally arranged, from the chord progression point of view, not an improvised structure, crafted to do just what you mentioned. Thanks for noticing.

	TobinMueller said 1435 days ago
	yep Thanks Ringo. Yeah, if you've been in front of a crowd, you miss it, especially in small group jazz recordings. Playing for a microphone and studio engineer somehow loses the romance. Thanks for the comments. Hope you get those mics around your drum soon!

	TobinMueller said 1488 days ago
	beautiful! Thanks. You guys should form an office band! Bill is virtually wonderful to work with. I plan on several more collaborations with him soon. (So don't keep him too busy!)

	TobinMueller said 1435 days ago
	Great Job! The drums are live, played by Dane Richeson. We stuck him in the corner of the room behind as much furniture as we could move to separate his sound and then hoped for the best. He's a great player. And a great guy.

	TobinMueller said 1398 days ago
	Forgot one thing: picture Thanks. I love taking the time to use appropriate art. This is a collage I did for a series of poems posted at ArtsForge, Talismans of Passion. This version added some reeds, to incorporate Bill's playing.

	TobinMueller said 519 days ago
	Bill Barner - The Man Yes, Bill is fabulous, and plays these tunes without charts. We're collaborating on some stuff I'm planning using B3, and I've very excited.

	TobinMueller said 519 days ago
	Bill Evans - Another Man His lightness of being is a forever inspiration.

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